Criminal

Chapter 1

Good and bad are two separate sides, I think that everyone has a balance of both. Sometimes individuals have too much good and sometimes individuals have too much bad. Me? I think I have too much good in me that's why I'm an undercover agent for the ICA (International Criminals Agency) My name is Nadia Mallory, Agent Mallory. The agency sends me all over the world for undercover missions, it's really fun rather than a hassle. I've seen so many things in so many different places.

I'm currently in New York City, I've completed my mission here and will be leaving tomorrow to head quarters for my next assignment. New York was nice, the mission wasn't very hard it was just a very big drug dealing company portraying themselves to be importing oranges from Florida. It was so pathetic I was surprised that no one realized that Florida oranges aren't shipped to New York, they come on trains!

I was packing my things, when I heard my phone ring, "Must be mom." I was right, "Hello mother dear." I greeted her in a British accent. I walked out onto the balcony, and looked down below at all the people. They were like a bunch of frantic ants running around, it was frenzied.

"Hello Ms. Mallory. How are you this fine evening?" She said back, my accent was so much better.

"I'm fine mom," I laughed at her accent. "How are you and dad?"

"We are good, we just want to see our special agent's face!" She exclaimed.

"I know mom, I miss you guys too. Hopefully I can come back soon." I said. To fill you guys in on my age. I am only 21, I started training with the ICA after my older brother had told me about it. My dream of becoming a doctor didn't go as planned. I was in a Biology undergrad program but as soon as I got accepted to train in the ICA, I joined immediately. "And don't worry about me, Ezra always takes care of me. You know that." I assured my mother over the phone.

My mentor, Ezra, from ICA is my best friend. He's one of those important people who's always there for me. He's my friend, parent and brother. I'll be seeing him at head quarters tomorrow, I can't wait!

"Nads, it's been hard without you. It gets lonely here." There was sadness in my mother's voice. They live in Canada, Toronto to be exact. (And yes I am a Canadian, a proud one to be exact). Its just my father, Eric Mallory and my mother Natasha Mallory. My brother Ethan..well he lived with his wife Maggie (Margaret) and his daughter Ella who's 3 years old in Cambridge, another city in Canada. He Lived, as in past tense. We lost him to cancer, he was a fighter, just another reason why I wanted to join ICA. For him. I was about to tear up but then I heard my father's voice in the background.

"Is that Nads on the phone?" His voice boomed through, I let out a chuckle.

"Oh dear, here comes the giant!" My mother over exaggerated.

"Nadia!"

"Daddy! How are you?"

"I'm good sweetheart, how's New York?"

"It's...New York." We laughed. Remembering our trip in the summer time to NYC when I was younger. Oh the fun we had and all the confusion. Let's just say that it involved a lot of miss-communication with the tourist bus company, and an incident involving my dad and pigeons.

"So, when will you be coming back?" He asked very hopefully.

"Soon.." I trailed off. I always tried to avoid that question because 'soon' meant never, or a very long time.

"Nadia, I'm being serious." His voice held sadness and a touch of anger.

"Daddy, I'm very sorry but-"

"Nadia. I knew this would happen, don't you think you're a little too young to be part of something like this?"

"I know dad, but I grew up fast. I can handle this."

"You did grow up fast, a little too fast Nadia. Taking on such a big responsibility can stop you from seeing us. You can blow your cover too." He explained.

"Dad, I know. But I'm careful with these things. I've been a successful agent for 3 years now." I said defending myself.

"That's not a lot of years Nadia." He said clearly not impressed with my come back.

"Stop scolding her." I heard my mother in the back.

"Dad, I know that mom and you called to check up on me. I don't want to end this conversation on a negative point." I said firmly.

"Well, that was bound to happen Nadia."

"I'm sorry dad."

"Your mother and I will hope to see you...soon." He said. Before I could say anything else he hung up.

I let out a sigh, this is usually how 50 percent of my conversations are with my father now. I would start crying, well, the 18 year old Nadia would. But I'm stronger than that, I haven't cried since...well, since Ethan passed on. And I don't plan on crying again either.

"Well at least Ezra will be nice to me." I said to myself out loud.

I packed the last of my things and went down to the lobby to check out. "Did you enjoy your stay with us mam?" The concierge asked sweetly.

"Yes," I looked down at his name tag. "Mr. Sinclair, I did." I smiled.

He handed my credit card back to me, "I'm sure we will see you again, sometime soon."

"Yes, soon." I said. I gave another smile and walked out of the hotel with my luggage and waited for the valet to bring my car.

'Soon' I repeated in my head. Agents usually don't stay in the same hotel if they are on a mission in the same city. It gets too risky when dealing with big gangs or what not. But since I'm a junior, the ICA doesn't assign missions like that to me. They give me missions that are 'safe'. It's almost like levels for me. The older I get, the more experienced I am, and the harder the level- I mean mission is.

"Ms. Harriett, your car." The valet came up to me with the keys to my Mercedes S-class. Harriett Blanche was my name for this mission

"Thank you very much." I said as he loaded my car with my luggage. I drove off down a winding highway past evergreen trees and rolling hills. Who knew that by driving out a couple miles from a city led you to a beautiful countryside. Next stop, the airport to head back to the ICA head quarters, and to be assigned for my next mission.